Building outer wall structure



1965 A. P. JENTOFT ETAL 3,199,258

BUILDING OUTER WALL STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 23, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l w 4 INVENTORSI 19/67/490 4. V4/V/f0 BY 44 mm? P JE/VTOFT FL Wm m AGE/V T Aug. 10, 1965 P. JENTOFT ETAL 3,199,258

BUILDING OUTER WALL STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 23, 1962 B SheetS-Sheet 2 AGE/(IT United States Patent 3 399,258 EUILEENG QUEER WALL STRUQTURE Arthur P. .lentoft, Wexford, and Fdchard A. Evanho,

Coraopoiis, Fa, assignors to E. H. Robertson Com- Filed Feb. 23, 1962, er. No. 175,123 4 Claims. ((Ii. 52-232) The present invention relates to a building outer wall structure and more particularly to improvements in said building outer wall structure.

According to the present invention, a plurality of spaced vertical mullions is applied to the structural framework of a building. A plurality of normally flat, unbent outer facing sheets is provided between each pair of vertical mullions to serve as an outer sheath for the building. It is desirable that the normally fiat, unbent outer facing sheets comprise relatively thin gauge metal or plastic sheets in the range of about 16 to 26 gauge. It has been found that under external positive loading, these thin gauge sheets will buckle. The buckling results from the tendency of the flat opposed sides to deform in a direction normal to the clamped surface of the sheet. Any slight eccentricity of the opposed side edges will allow buckling to develop under positive loading. The present invention is particularly directed to improvements in the vertical mullions to overcome the edge buckling of the normally flat thin gauge sheets.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved outer wall structure.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved vertical mullion which effectively prevents buckling of the outer facing sheets.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved vertical mullion which resists the outward pull on the facing sheet-s produced by negative wind loads.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide an outer wall structure that is quickly and easily erected.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevation view of an outer wall structure secured in outboard relation to the structural framework of a building and illustrating an environment of the present vertical wall;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse, crosssectional exploded view illustrating a cap member and a capped member of the preferred embodiment of present vertical mullion;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional View illustrating the partial assembly of the vertical mullion of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the completed assembly of the vertical mullion of FIGURE 2;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views illustrating alternative embodiments of the capped member of the present vertical mullion; and

FIGURES 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views illustrating alternative embodiments of the cap member of the present vertical mullion.

Referring to FIGURE 1 there is illustrated a building having a structural framework including a vertical column 2% and subgirts 22. A building outer wall structure 2 maintained in outboard relation with the structural framework of the building, comprises a plurality of spaced vertical naullions 26 secured to the subgirts 22 and each including edge receiving means 23 (to be described later in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4). The building outer wall structure 24 further includes a plurality of normally fiat, unbent rectangular facing sheets 3d each having parallel opposed edges 32. The facing sheets 30 are bowed inwardly at their central portion when installed and are resiliently confined along the parallel opposed side edges ihlddidb Patented Aug. it), l tifi "ice 32 thereof in the edge receiving means 28 of adjacent vertical mullions 26.

A detailed description of the vertical mullions 2d and their assembly will now follow with reference to FF- URES 2, 3 and 4.

Referring in particular to FIGURE 2, the preferred embodiment of the vertical mullion 26 is illustrated in a cross-sectional exploded view to show the component parts. The vertical mullion 2d basically comprises a cap member 34 and a capped member 36.

The cap member 34 comprises an outer strip 3-8 and spaced legs 40 depending therefrom each terminating in an outturned shoulder 42. The outer strip 38 includes lateral side portions 44. A longitudinal slot as is provided in the inner surface of the lateral side portions 44 adjacent their edges. A strip of sealant material 43 may be positioned within the longitudinal slot 46.

The capped member 36 includes an inboard end 59 comprising a T-shaped element having a central web 52 and a transverse base 54- which is secured in outboard relation to the subgirts 2 2 by any suitable means such as bolts 56.

The capped member 36 further includes an outboard end 58 having a central longitudinal opening 6% and a receiving slot 62 at the inboard end of the central longitudinal opening dd. The receiving slot 62 includes inturned shoulders 64 which correspond to the outturned shoulders 42 of the spaced legs as.

The outboard end 58 further includes a pair of opposed inwardly sloped flanges 66 extending from the capped member 36 intermediate of its ends. Each flange ss includes an outwardly extended curb 68 adjacent to the longitudinal opening 6b and including a slot 78. As illustrated the opposed edges 32 of the facing sheets 39 abut the curb 58 and are engaged in the slot 765.

As can be seen the flanges 66 slope inwardly away from the normally bowed facing sheets 3% as indicated by the surface extension lines at A.

The assembly of the vertical mullion 26 is illustrated in FlGURES 3 and 4 and will now be described. Referring in particular to FIGURE 3, the spaced legs 4i) of the cap member as are shown extending through the central longitudinal opening 66 with the edges of the outturned shoulders 42 engaged with side walls 7-2 of the central opening 60. Preferably the distance between the inner ends of the inturned shoulders 64 is equal to the distance between the inner ends of the outturned shoulders 42. With this configuration, the spaced legs 40 are pinched together, as shown, just prior to the entry of the outturned shoulders 4-2 into the receiving slot 62. Thus the edge receiving means 28 is seen to be defined by the pair of opposed inwardly sloped flanges 66, the outwardly extended curb 655 on each flange and the lateral side portions 44 of the cap member 34.

In order to maintain the cap member 34 centered over the central longitudinal opening 66, the spaced legs 40 abut a portion of the curb 68 such as inward pro 'ections 74.

With the cap member 34 so positioned, the sealant material 48 is in contact with the outer surface of the facing sheet-s 38. The divergence of the flanges as and the facing sheets 3%, as indicated at A, is not as yet disturbed.

To complete the assembly of the vertical mullion 2d, the cap member 34 is snapped into the position illustrated in FIGURE 4. The outturned shoulders 42 are engaged with the inturned shoulders 64 in the receiving slot 62 whereby the cap member 34 is locked to the capped member 365. By locking the cap member 34 to the capped member 36, the edges 32 of adjacent ones of the facing sheets 3d are clamped in the edge receiving means 28. As can be seen the divergence of the facing sheet 3i) and the flanges d6,

as indicated at B, has been reduced to Zero by further inwardly bowing the facing sheets 30 along the edges 32.

Since each sheet 30 is clamped entirely along each edge 32, within the edge receiving means 28, it is efi'ectively prevented from buckling. That is to say that the flat edges or" the sheets 30 are restrained from deforming in .a direction normal to clamped surface of the sheet. The actual force required to restrain the edges is virtually negligible. Yet with the edges restrained, the load carrying capacity of the resulting wall is increased eight-fold.

Referring again to FIGURE 4, the sheets 30 may be subjected to negative wind loads, i.e., .an outward pull on the sheets 30 caused by a reduced external pressure on the leeward side of the building. Thus when a negative wind load occurs, a force is applied to the sheets 30 which tends to .pull them :away from the structural framework of the building. Notice also that the outward force also tends to pull out the cap member 34. However the outward pull on the cap member 34 serves only to further embed the outturned shoulder 42 in the inturned shoulder 64. Negative wind loads thus are efiectively resisted.

It wi-ll be noted in FIGURE 4 that once the cap member 34 has been snapped into position with respect to the capped member 36, there is no way of extracting it. There is a positive lock made between the cap member 34 and the capped member 36. In order to dismantle the present Wall structure, the cap member 34 may be sawed longitudinally along its vertical center time indicated at C.

Alternative configurations of the present capped memher are illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6.

In FIGURE 5 ea capped member 36' includes an inboard end 76 comprising a hollow Web member 78 having a planar inboard base 80 secured to the subgirt 22 by any suitable means such as bolts 82.

In FIGURE 6 .a capped member 36" includes an inboard end 84 comprising a slotted portion 86 secured over a load'sup porting strip .such as an L-shaped angle 88. Specifically the slotted portion 86 is secured over one arm of the angle 88 and secured thereon, atspaced intervals, by any suitable means such as bolts 90.. Preferably the load supporting strip 88 is separated from the slotted inboard portion 86 by means of a layer of suitable thermal insulating material 92 located within the slot of the slotted inboard portion 86.

Alternative configurations of the present cap member are illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8.

In FIGURE 7 .a cap member 34' includes an outer strip 38' having a reverseturned flange 94 at each edge thereof. The cap member 34' further includes a decorative insert strip 96 confined at its edges in the reverse turned.

. the present invention provides an improved outer wall structure which wall structure may be quickly and easily erected. Further that the presentinvention provides an improved vertical mullion that effectively .prevents buck.- ling of the outer facing sheets at their opposed edges, and. that resists theoutward pull on the facing sheets produced by negative wind loads.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle, preferred embodiment and mode of operation of our invention and have illustrated and described what We now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, we desired to have it understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

We claim:

1. In a building outer wall structure having a plurality of spaced vertical mullions maintained in outboard relation to the structural framework of a building and including sheet edge clamping means, a plurality of normally fiat, unbent facing sheets having parallel opposed edges, said facing sheets being clamped along the said parallel opposed edges thereof in said edge clamping means of adjacent vertical mullions, the central portion of each s-aid facing sheet being inwardly bowed and thereby retained, the improvement of said vertical mulli-on comprising:

a cap member including an outer strip, and spaced legs depending therefrom each terminating in an outturned shoulder,

a capped member maintained in outboard relation with the said structural framework of said building said capped member having "a central longitudinal opening therein, and

a receiving slot' at the inboard end of said longitudinal opening; said sheet edge clamping means comprising a pair of opposed inwardly sloped flanges extended from said capped member intermediate of its ends, 7

.an outwardly extended curb on each of said flanges adjacent to said central longitudinal opening, one of said opposed edges abutting each said curb, whereby the said facing sheet, in its inwardly bowed configuration, is retained between the said curbs of adjacent :ones of the said capped members in the absence of the said cap members, and

lateral side portions of said outer strip which engage the outer surface of said facing sheets adjacent .to said opposed edges and displace the same into surface engagement with and along the.

entire length of said sloped flanges; said spaced legs extending through the said longitudinal opening with the said ou'tturned shoulders en gaged in the said receiving slot, the said edges of adjacent ones of said facing sheets being clamped with-.

in said sheet edge clamping means along their entire length whereby each of said edges is prevented from deforming in a direction normal to the clamped surface of the sheet.

. 2. The improvement of claim 1 wherein the inboard.

portion of said capped member comprises a T-shaped element having a central web and a transverse base, the said central web being secured to the said outboard portion and the said transverse base being secured to the said structural framework of said building.

7 3. The improvement of claim -1 wherein the inboard portion of said capped member comprises a hollow web member having a planar inboard base secured to the said structural framework of said building.

4. The improvement of claim 1 wherein each said curb includes a slot, said edges of adjacent ones of said facing sheets being engaged therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS HENRY C. SUTH-ERLAND, Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, WILLIAM I. MUSHAKE,

. Examiners. 

1. IN A BUILDING OUTER WALL STRUCTURE HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED VERTICAL MULLIONS MAINTAINED IN OUTBOARD RELATION TO THE STRUCTURAL FRAMEWORK OF A BUILDIANG AND INCLUDING SHEET EDGE CLAMPING MEANS, A PLURALITY OF NORMALLY FLAT, UNBENT FACING SHEETS HAVING PARALLEL OPPOSED EDGES, SAID FACING SHEETS BEING CLAMPED ALONG THE SAID PARALLEL OPPOSED EDGES THEREOF IN SAID EDGE CLAMPING MEANS OF ADJACENT VERTICAL MULLIONS, THE CENTRAL PORTION OF EACH SAID FACING SHEET BEING INWARDLY BOWED AND THEREBY RETAINED, THE IMPROVEMENT OF SAID VERTICAL MULLION COMPRISING: A CAP MEMBER INCLUDING AN OUTER STRIP, AND SPACED LEGS DEPENDING THEREFROM EACH TERMINATING IN AN OUTTURNED SHOULDER, A CAPPED MEMBER MAINTAINED IN OUTBOARD RELATION WITH THE SAID STRUCTURAL FRAMEWORK OF SAID BUILDING SAID CAPPED MEMBER HAVING A CENTRAL LONGITUDINAL OPENING THEREIN, AND A RECEIVING SLOT AT THE INBOARD END OF SAID LONGITUDINAL OPENING; SAID SHEET EDGE CLAMPING MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF OPPOSED INWARDLY SLOPED FLANGES EXTENDED FROM SAID CAPPED MEMBER INTERMEDIATE OF ITS ENDS, 